“Are you sure about this, Ez?” Louelita asked nervously, pacing back and forth in the grand suite. Her hands kept adjusting the intricate folds of the gown she was wearing, a nervous habit she couldn't suppress.The woman was draped in a stunning modern Filipiniana-style black ball gown, its fabric cascading elegantly to the floor, adorned with exquisite gold beading that shimmered under the soft lighting. Every stitch of the dress had been carefully designed to complement the regal presence she was about to command. Around her neck and ears gleamed a set of diamond jewellery, gifts from Ezra. He had provided her with everything she could ever need, and though she still struggled to accept the extravagance, she couldn’t deny the beauty of it all.Their outfits had been meticulously coordinated—her gown perfectly complementing Ezra’s sharp black tuxedo, making them look like royalty about making a grand entrance.The entire setup was complete. Tonight was the night their plans would un
“BOSS! The Queen is calling out your name!” The man spoke urgently, fingers brushing the earpiece behind his ear as his sharp gaze swept the surroundings. He had been present at the auction, watching, waiting, and anticipating any move from their enemies.Across the dimly lit room, the one they called boss slowly lifted his gaze. His steel-gray eyes, cold and unyielding, gleamed like sharpened blades in the dark.“Kill everyone inside that goddamn house,” he ordered, his voice like ice. “I’m bringing my Queen back to our palace—without a single scar.”“Roger, Boss!” his men responded through the earpiece, their voices filled with unwavering loyalty.The mafia boss, his expression unreadable, took a slow, deliberate glance around, his blood boiling with rage within. How dare they? They had taken his Queen—his atonement, his salvation—from him. She belonged at his side—safe, untouched, and revered. Yet these fools had dared to lay their filthy hands on her.Unforgivable.“Boss! They’r
Khione Louelita Silay. That was the name given to her by one of the nuns at the orphanage where she grew up. It was a name that carried no ties to a family, no connection to a past she could return to—only the identity of a girl who had learned to survive on her own. Now, seated in her small yet comfortable townhouse, Khione let out a deep sigh of relief. “Three months of pleading, begging, and finally...” She clenched her fists in excitement. “They let me work from home!”She nearly wanted to collapse in joy. It was the best thing that had happened to her since joining the National Bureau of Investigation’s Counter Intelligence Department. The NBI had recruited her three months ago because of her exceptional skills in computer information technology. However, what the government didn’t officially acknowledge was that she was also one of the most skilled hackers they had ever encountered. Her job required absolute secrecy. Her identity had to remain protected at all costs. Th
“Boss, they’ve arrived.”The voice of Erza Slain Velleoti’s right-hand man was low, cautious, as if uttering those words too loudly might summon something dangerous. Ezra took a slow drag from his cigarette, the ember at the tip burning bright in the dimly lit room. He exhaled a plume of smoke, watching it curl lazily toward the ceiling before dissipating. He didn't even acknowledge the announcement with a nod or a glance. His men were used to this. Ezra never wasted words unless necessary. Before him, on a lavishly designed stage, women danced in near-nothing attire, their bodies moving in sensual waves under the flashing neon lights. Their gazes, hopeful yet hollow, sought the attention of the wealthy and powerful men scattered throughout the club. Ezra was among them, but unlike the others, he remained detached, unaffected. These women were nothing more than background noise to him. Their attempts to seduce him and capture his interest were wasted efforts. They could bare their
"Why the hell do I have to get involved in this mess?" Louelita muttered under her breath, frustration lacing every word as she hurriedly gathered supplies in the supermarket. She had tried to put off going outside for as long as possible, but her food stock had finally run out. She had even considered ordering a delivery, but something-or someone-seemed determined to make sure she left the house. Dressed in a black hooded jacket, brown baggy pants, and low-cut shoes, she tried her best to blend in. Her long hair, usually tied back, was loose around her shoulders, and she kept her head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone around her. The last thing she wanted was attention. For an entire week, she had been immersed in her case, tirelessly digging through files and hacking into hidden servers to uncover the sickening crimes of powerful politicians. And what she found made her stomach churn. They weren't just corrupt-they were monsters. Human trafficking. Drug smuggling. Sexual e
Louelita’s screams echoed through the car, raw with desperation as she fought against the iron grip of the man trying to drag her out. His rough hands yanked at her mercilessly, his breath reeking of smoke and sweat as he snarled in frustration.“You’re really making this difficult for me, huh?!” he barked, jerking her shoulder violently.Louelita tried to twist away, her instincts screaming at her to get to the driver’s seat—to find some way to escape—but before she could, the man grabbed her ankle and pulled her back with brute force. Her body lurched forward, and with a sickening impact, her face slammed into the hard plastic of the dashboard.Pain exploded in her mouth. A metallic taste flooded her tongue, and she felt something warm trickling from her lips. Her vision blurred from the force of the hit, but she forced herself to stay conscious.The man didn’t care.As long as she was breathing, he would keep going until he fulfilled his job—killing her.“You little b*tch,” he spat
Ezra Velleoti had always sought solace in the sea. It was the only place that gave him a sense of peace, a refuge from the suffocating demands of his work. As the leader of the Velleoti Mafia, his life was a relentless cycle of violence, deception, and power plays. But out here, away from the chaos of the city and the bloodstained dealings of the underworld, he could breathe.The sound of the waves, whether calm or raging, was a melody to him. The endless horizon stretching before him reminded him of freedom—something he rarely experienced. Sitting on the deck of his yacht, he sipped his vodka, allowing the alcohol to burn his throat as he gazed at the vast expanse of blue. The sun was high in the sky, its golden rays bathing his skin in warmth. His black sunglasses shielded his eyes, and he leaned back, letting the tranquility of the moment seep into his bones.He enjoyed these brief escapes, venturing out to sea for three to five days at a time. No one knew of his private beach ho
Omar hesitated, gripping his phone tightly, his voice unsure as he spoke. “B-But, Boss—”Ezra's patience was extremely limited. He didn’t have time for objections. “Are you questioning my decisions, Omar?” His voice pierced the phone like a sharp instrument.Immediately, Omar shook his head, though his boss couldn’t see him. “No, boss. But what if our enemies track down your beach house? I’m just being cautious.”Ezra clenched his jaw, his grip on the phone tightening to the point where the device nearly cracked under the pressure. “Come here right away and bring that damn doctor! I don’t give a damn about my safety. Bring our men if that makes you feel better!” he barked, his fury barely contained.A sigh came from the other end of the line before Omar answered. “Understood, boss. We’ll be there in ten minutes.”Ezra didn’t wait for him to hang up. He had already ended the call, his focus shifting back to the unconscious woman lying on his bed.Her hands were ice-cold in his grasp, h
“Are you sure about this, Ez?” Louelita asked nervously, pacing back and forth in the grand suite. Her hands kept adjusting the intricate folds of the gown she was wearing, a nervous habit she couldn't suppress.The woman was draped in a stunning modern Filipiniana-style black ball gown, its fabric cascading elegantly to the floor, adorned with exquisite gold beading that shimmered under the soft lighting. Every stitch of the dress had been carefully designed to complement the regal presence she was about to command. Around her neck and ears gleamed a set of diamond jewellery, gifts from Ezra. He had provided her with everything she could ever need, and though she still struggled to accept the extravagance, she couldn’t deny the beauty of it all.Their outfits had been meticulously coordinated—her gown perfectly complementing Ezra’s sharp black tuxedo, making them look like royalty about making a grand entrance.The entire setup was complete. Tonight was the night their plans would un
The harassment from her parents has happened multiple times now. Again and again, they kept showing up, beseeching, pleading, and trying to manipulate her into giving in. Louelita was exhausted. She was so tired of facing them, tired of hearing their desperate excuses, especially now that they were practically on their knees, groveling to avoid prison.Ezra stood in front of her, as usual, his imposing figure shielding her from the two wretched people who had the audacity to call themselves her parents. His sharp, icy stare bore into them, utterly unimpressed by their theatrics. It was a Sunday morning, a time when most couples would be enjoying a peaceful moment together. But not them. Not when these people refused to let her be.“We don’t want anything to do with you two.” Ezra’s voice was calm, but the venom in his tone was unmistakable. “For people like you, jail is the best option. You only have yourselves to blame for selling and using drugs.”He rolled his eyes in disgust. He m
Louelita felt like she was floating on air as they arrived at Ezra’s house. She couldn’t stop smiling, even in the presence of other people. It was as if nothing else mattered in that moment, as if the world had faded into the background.Ezra had confessed his feelings for her.She sat in the garden, basking in the afterglow of that revelation, waiting for him to return. He had temporarily retired to his office, but he had assured her that he would return by three in the afternoon. She had been enveloped in a dreamy haze since they had arrived in the Philippines at precisely noon, and she had been giggling to herself like a fool as she consumed her lunch.“Our Queen Lou is in a fantastic mood,” Vito teased, grinning at her knowingly.Louelita responded with nothing but a dreamy smile, her mind still stuck on Ezra’s words.“It seems like we don’t exist in her world right now, brother,” Primo added, shaking his head in amusement.Despite the bruises and split lips they had suffered fro
Since they arrived at his father’s house, Louelita had been hugging Ezra. This house was in the middle of nowhere, and it was guarded by a large number of guards. Ezra decided to spend the entire night here because it was too arduous for his wife.After introducing Louelita to the old man, the old man and Louelita spoke with each other. Even though the old man looked stern, his heart was soft, especially to those like Louelita.“Cazzo! You shouldn't just shoot them in the back of the head. They nearly auctioned off my daughter-in-law! Tell me you didn’t just leave that building without destroying it?!” The old man was also very supportive of his son and was not impoverished.Louelita only listened and only answered when the old man spoke to her. She trusted only Ezra, so the man’s father understood why Louelita was like this.Ezra had also explained and told his father about the woman on the phone. Ezra’s father was also the one who enlightened the man about his feelings for Louelita.
Ezra and his men arrived at the exact location where Louelita was being held. His movements were swift and determined as he stepped off his plane, which he had independently piloted, barely touching the ground. His entire aura was dark, radiating an ominous presence that sent shivers down the spines of his men. Rage consumed him, his entire body trembling from the sheer force of his fury.When Ezra was this enraged, rational thought was beyond him. His men knew better than to meet his gaze, moving swiftly to execute his orders without hesitation. They took their positions, each prepared for the bloodbath that was about to unfold. Omar and the Alessio siblings were present as well. Though wounded from previous battles, the Alessio brothers had insisted on coming. They needed to atone for their past failure to protect Ezra and Louelita.“I want every single person involved in running this auction dead,” Ezra ordered coldly. His voice was void of emotion, but the weight of his words made
Ezra was in a blind rage.“Fuck! This is bullshit! A bunch of idiots!” he roared, his voice echoing through the lavishly furnished room. His men stood before him, heads bowed in silent submission. They knew better than to speak when their boss was in this state. Each of them bore injuries, wounds inflicted not only by the enemy but by Ezra himself.Bandages covered their heads, bruises marked their faces, and some had limbs in casts. Vito and Elio had their shoulders wrapped in slings, while Primo leaned on crutches, a bullet wound in his leg slowing him down. Inizio clutched his side, where a gunshot had barely missed a vital organ. Their bodies were battered, and their egos even more so.But none of that mattered.What mattered was that they had failed their boss.Worse, they had lost her.They hadn’t expected the enemy’s ambush. Hired assassins and rival factions had come for them simultaneously, swarming the vehicles carrying Louelita. They had been outnumbered, underarmed, and un
Inside the orphanage, Louelita’s guards remained vigilant. They were under strict orders from Ezra—protect Louelita at all costs. The atmosphere inside was lively, with children laughing and running around as they received toys and food from her. Their eyes sparkled with joy, their small hands clutching onto the gifts like precious treasures. Seeing their excitement warmed Louelita’s heart.She was disguised as always. Today, she wore striking blue contact lenses, a large mole strategically placed on the right side of her nose, and a wig that framed her delicate face. Despite the disguise, she carried herself with elegance, effortlessly interacting with the orphans as if she belonged there.Yet, inside, Louelita was struggling to keep her emotions in check. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to suppress the overwhelming urge to cry. She had never expected to see these familiar faces again. Walking into this place had been a gamble, and her heart pounded with anxiety at the though
Louelita stretched her limbs, her body feeling light and free. A soft smile formed on her lips as she stared at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts.She was grateful.Grateful that Ezra had saved her.Her life now was significantly better than before, when she had been all alone—drifting without direction, surviving rather than living. Now, she had a place where she felt safe, where she wasn’t constantly looking over her shoulder.Yesterday, they had just returned from Spain.Before coming home, they had traveled around, visiting different places. Their last stop had been La Concha, a breathtaking beach with golden sand stretching as far as the eye could see. They had dined at a restaurant overlooking the vast ocean, the waves shimmering under the afternoon sun.Louelita had been captivated by the view, her heart swelling with awe. She hadn’t been able to put into words how beautiful it was, so instead, she had done the next best thing—she had taken countless photos.She didn’t own a ph
Ezra carefully adjusted Louelita in the car seat, his firm hands steadying her as she bit her lower lip, her entire face burning with embarrassment. She turned away, hiding herself from his gaze.Who wouldn’t be mortified? The events of the previous night were still fresh in her mind, no matter how much she had tried to push them away. Even in her intoxicated state, she had been fully aware of what had transpired between them. And now, the worst part—she could barely walk. Every inch of her body ached, a constant reminder of her reckless surrender.Ezra, noticing her discomfort, let out a deep chuckle, his lips curling into an amused smirk. He gently guided her down into the seat, but as soon as she was settled, she immediately buried her face in his chest, as though she could hide from the world.“Don’t laugh at me! Such behavior is humiliating!” she mumbled, her voice muffled against his firm torso.Ezra’s laughter only deepened as he ran his fingers through her silky hair, enjoying